Pom In Oz

[deerstalker36]

Hi There,

Just joined. I've been type 2 for a couple of years now, diagnosed after a nurse at a work medical asked me if i was diabetic after the dip test, i said not that i know, she said yes you are.....

ive been on metformin since, 500mg twice a day, glucose well controlled, HBA1c down at 48 ish. had simvastatin and ramipril as well

i emigrated to Oz last november, got signed in at the doc ($70), he gave me my prescription for my meds, went to the pharmacy - that'll be $90 please.
thats per month - to say i was a bit taken aback afte the NHS treatment of diabetes.

back in the UK it was regular checks, retina photographs, opticians once per year. All on the NHS. Here - totally different. 11 months no checks, just paying out for meds each month. Then i had a dive medical last week. Picked up my HBA1c was hi (they still use % here but apparently it was 67 mmol/mol) so without any other checks or readings the doc calls me in (another $70) and changes my meds to Kombiglyze (now twice as much as the metformin) - no suggestions of do a bit more excercise, lets review your diet etc

Bring back the NHS lol

anyway, enough of a gripe, hello to everyone

Colin

 

[Mike d]

$90 for what? Aren't you on medicare?

 

[Indy51]

As Mike says, seems odd that you wouldn't be covered by Medicare. And more importantly, hasn't your doctor signed you up for the NDSS?

https://www.ndss.com.au/

Or aren't you eligible?

 

[4ratbags]

Wow that is a lot of money to be forking out. Have you had any serious thoughts on your diet as it could be a lot cheaper to change your eating habits rather than paying that amount of money for meds and Dr appointments.

 

[Mep]

I'm guessing you don't qualify for medicare as yet? You should be checking your eligibility for these things if you haven't already. Your meds would be subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) here which covers a lot of meds.... of course you still pay between $15- $40 for most of the meds after the subsidy. Also in Australia your GP should be referring you to your nearest diabetic clinic which is usually run by the state governments from a public hospital. The clinics have endocrinologists, dieticians, diabetic educators available to assist you. You have to be referred and then they do all their diagnostic checks and monitor you that way. I've been attending a clinic for years and I see my endocrinologist from this clinic every 6 months (they usually consult to the hospitals here). So there is care in Australia (I'm in Perth). It may just be that you don't have access to assistance just yet maybe. But healthcare here can get expensive though, I agree. If you have medicare you will be charged the $70 by your GP and you can claim roughly half of it back. Some GP's will bulk bill medicare which means you pay nothing, and most don't which means you have to ask for the claim to be done when you're making your payment to the surgery (that should be easy enough if you have your card with you). You don't need a different card for the PBS, just use the medicare card as well. Also you have access to the National Diabetic Service Scheme which issues you a card to say you're a member and you can then get your diabetic supplies subsidised (lancets are excluded though and are full cost). If you are a member of a private health fund, you are usually able to get a free glucometer every couple of years through your health fund. I hope this helps.... again I'm not sure what you're eligible for. If you're not eligible for the medicare card as yet, then yeh it will be more costly for you.

 

[deerstalker36]

hi all. Thanks for the replies. I do get medicare because of the reciprocal arrangement between the UK and Oz.

My doc hasnt referred, tested etc since i got here. The only reason i got my HBA1c was because of a diving medical. Im in the NDSS (only found out about that through the pharmasist) but it doesnt seem to subsidise anything. Member of BUPA which again doesnt seem to cover anything.
I'm just down the road from you MEP, i'm in Bunbury and still trying to get used to this medical system. Bulk billing appears to be only for people with concessions cards, at least thats what the docs here imply

 

[Mep]

oh nice... love our South West here. yes, you're right there... bulk billing is not common anymore here and only used for those on pensions and concessions mostly. My doctor was charging me for years (he charges $75) until I got very sick and he decided he is now bulk billing me and the only reason for that is that he forced me to work part time and my income has been reduced... so I guess he feels he needs to help me financially as well. But I've been seeing him for 10 years. The costs of health can get expensive here..... I looked at my bank statement and calculated I spent $4000 in a 3 month period at one stage on all things to do with my health. I probably spend a lot on my health compared to anything else. But at least with medicare you can get a rebate on the charges... you just ask for it at the surgery. Just make sure your bank account is up to date with medicare and they put the rebate straight into your account. The NDSS will cover your test strips, and for me I get free needles as well for insulin injections. If you paid full price for the test strips they're like $50 each and on NDSS you get them for about $15 or so. I'm with HBF and as a diabetic I'm entitled to a free glucometer every 2 years I think it is. I've got one using them before. But I haven't needed to do that for quite a few years as my last 2 glucometers were handed to me for free as I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[Ceres]

Hello, fellow West Australian, and welcome!

If you're after a free glucometer, you can get an Abbott one here (I have a FreeStyle Lite and I really like it). CareSens also offers free meters here, and you can usually find various cash back offers floating around (such as this one from Accu-Chek). As @Mep said above, as an NDSS member, you can obtain testing strips for about $16 per box of 100 (I generally order mine via the Diabetes WA website).

In terms of eye tests, you should be able to claim one free yearly eye check through Medicare. Several optometrists offer free retinal scanning with a standard eye exam. Specsavers does, and I see they have a branch at Bunbury Centrepoint, and also Eaton Fair.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mep]

Hello, fellow West Australian, and welcome!

If you're after a free glucometer, you can get an Abbott one here (I have a FreeStyle Lite and I really like it). CareSens also offers free meters here, and you can usually find various cash back offers floating around (such as this one from Accu-Chek). As @Mep said above, as an NDSS member, you can obtain testing strips for about $16 per box of 100 (I generally order mine via the Diabetes WA website).

In terms of eye tests, you should be able to claim one free yearly eye check through Medicare. Several optometrists offer free retinal scanning with a standard eye exam. Specsavers does, and I see they have a branch at Bunbury Centrepoint, and also Eaton Fair.

Hope this helps!

I have a FreeStyle Lite as well and by far my favourite meter to date as the batteries just last ages in it. I got mine free from walking into an Amcal chemist one day and they were giving away free glucometers and diabetics product samples for free as a diabetic product promotion. I'm still looking for the diabalm foot balm that they gave me in a few sachets as it is really good stuff on your feet.